


The Price We Pay

by sunflower1343



Series: Therapy [19]
Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Genre: Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-10 09:30:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11124429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflower1343/pseuds/sunflower1343
Summary: A rival group declares war by kidnapping Tao and suddenly the honeymoon is over as they frantically try to get him back.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This has two parts, but food poisoning. I'll post part 2 in a day or two.
> 
> This was a story fragment that hung around on my computer for years before I did something with it. Therapy finally grew to where it would fit it. This is slightly darker than previous Therapy shorts. Written May, 2007.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~

Blood slowly slid down the man's chin and dripped onto his white dress shirt. Asami grabbed his hair and slammed his head into the wall behind him. "Why were you following him? You may as well talk now because you'll answer me eventually. But the longer it takes, the madder you make me, and the less likely it is that you'll survive."

The man glared and spit blood across his face. His splintering control failed him and he pulled his fist back, about to throw all his weight behind it. It was grasped lightly, halting his punch. Who would dare? His head swung around to see Fei standing there. 

Fei dropped his hand and drew on some leather gloves. "Asami, dear, if you break his jaw, we won't get answers. We need to damage other parts of him, ones that can't talk."

He was breathing harshly. Fei leaned in and kissed him gently. The soothing touch of Fei's lips brought his rage into check and his breathing began to slow. 

Fei pulled back slightly and with his silken sleeve wiped the blood and saliva from his lover's face. His eyes turned cold. That made the smile he turned on the man pressed against the wall even more frightening. "You'll pay for that."

Fei drew one of his knives and smoothly sliced the man's trousers open. "You'll pay for that. And you'll pay for harassing my son. The question is, how much do I take in payment, and is there anything you can possibly do to make me leave any part of you intact."

He leaned in with a smile. "Somehow, I think you'll be offering me anything I want by the time I get done with you." 

Asami stepped close to Fei, behind him, and spoke softly into his ear. "Do you have any idea how hot it makes me, watching you work like this?"

Fei laughed. "Possibly as hot as I get watching you do the same. Hold him for me, would you? This could get messy."

Asami held the man's hands above his head in a strong fist, the other hand threading through Fei's hair as Fei began to work his knife magic, and the man between them began to spill all the secrets they could ever want to know.

 

The man at their feet, if he could still be called that, was now silent, Asami's bullet putting an end to the shrieking.

Asami watched, eyes following every movement as Fei cleaned and sheathed his knives, only then driving him back against the wall with his body. Their lips met in a violent kiss, devouring each other like starved wolves on prey. Fei's bloody hands threaded through Asami's thick hair, yanking his head down hard against his mouth. They left streaks of red as their hands flew into each other's clothes, desperate, needy, direct about what they wanted.

Asami spun Fei against the wall. Fei thrust back against him. "Now. Don't wait. Now. And hard." Asami nipped him and he stilled. "I'll take you hard, but not dry. Never that, not with you." He slicked himself up from the tube he always carried with him these days. Fei trembled against him. His voice was a whisper. "Now. Don’t make me wait. Now."

Asami reached around and grasped Fei's cock in his fist. "Now." He thrust home into Fei's warm tightness, slamming him into the wall. His hips moved hard and fast, his hand on Fei doing the same. As Fei whimpered he buried his face in that mass of long hair. "Fei..." He smelled the blood on Fei and that only aroused him more. He drove forward, violently, knowing Fei wanted and needed this as much as he did, because Fei drove back against him meeting his thrusts as an equal, as he was.

"Ryuichi..." 

He lost control. His arms crushed Fei to him as he slammed deeply home. He felt Fei spilling across his hand, and he emptied everything into his lover, his seed, his emotions, his self.

They stood there, leaning against the wall, shaken by what had occurred. Asami felt Fei take a few deep breaths. "Ryuichi, we can't ever let Akihito see this, this side of us. He'd never understand. He'd despise us."

Asami's body was still covering Fei's, now more protectively than sexually. "He's stronger and more loyal than you must think, if you believe that. He'd fight it, but he'd accept it in the end because he loves you."

Fei turned his head toward him. "Not because he loves you?"

Asami smiled and kissed his lover, drawing his lips softly into his mouth to suck on them, now tasting sweat and tea, the blood having been washed away by what had just occurred. He pulled back to answer the question. "He already knows and accepts that this is part of me. I think that you're afraid to remind him of this side of you, because of the memories he associates with it, no? And yet if you stifle it, it won’t be good for you. You two will have to come to terms with this as well. Given your past together, there are things you'll have to work at for the rest of your lives." He leaned his forehead against Fei's. "I'll help where I can."

He felt the strength that naturally belonged to Fei fill his lover once more, and he stepped back, putting his clothes back together. Fei slipped his pants back up, tying them, and turned. He glanced at the body on the floor. "What do we do with this information? If what he said is true, it may mean war."

Asami's face hardened. "If they dare to try anything against Akihito or Tao, it will be war, and when we get done with them, none will stand except us and our allies."

Fei nodded. "I'm glad to hear you say that. We should gather those we trust then and make our plans." He tossed his hair back. "After a shower." He took a step forward and winced.

Asami smirked. "Can you even walk to the car? Shall I carry you?"

"Fuck off, yakuza." 

Asami grinned and follow the wobbling Triad leader to the limo. He paused at the entrance to the small building. "Matsura, the usual accident." 

Matsura nodded his understanding, and as the limo sped off into the night the rear view mirror reflected a growing light that was more than just the approaching dawn.

 

\---

 

Back at their offices, after a shower, they'd gone over their plans. Everything was set but for one thing.

Fei set his now-empty teacup on the desk, delicately, so it made no sound as it came to rest on the polished mahogany. "So do we tell them?"

"Tao, certainly. If he's to follow us, he needs to be aware of this sort of thing. Don't you agree?"

Fei's eyes were a little sad as he nodded. "Sometimes I wish I could give him a normal life, all that I couldn't have. But it's rather late for that. He considers life in the organization to be normal."

Asami reached a hand out to stroke the fine silk hair. "Is that really such a bad thing, Fei? It's not easy, but it allows a great deal more freedom than most lifestyles. Would you want him, or any of us for that matter, stifled at a desk job?"

An unbecoming snort escaped Fei's lips. "Salaryman Asami? I'd pay to see that. Or maybe not, if all the life was gone from your eyes like those of the other drones."

He stretched and stood up, walking around the lush office restlessly. "I realize it's not all bad. The fringe benefits are particularly nice."

Asami enjoyed the smile playing across Fei's face. It wasn't all that long ago that smiles were never seen there.

Fei continued, "Tao is more than capable of dealing with this. He'll be smart enough to take precautions seriously. We'll assign a guard to him at school, explain it to the principal, he'll be safe enough. It's Akihito I'm worried about."

Asami grunted in agreement. "No kidding. If we breathe one word of this he'll want in on it."

"And he'll be off doing investigative work to 'help'."

"But he'll be suspicious, and start digging anyway. The only way to keep him safe is to put him in a cage."

They paused, images of a snarly chained Akihito distracting them both. They looked at each other and laughed. Asami took out his phone and made a note in his list of things to do.

Fei shook his head. "He'll kill you."

"I'll tell him it was your idea."

"You're unbelievable. We could also send him away for a while. Get him an assignment someplace else in the world."

"No. He's too... obvious. He makes too much noise. They'd find him in no time. I want him here, where I can keep an eye on him."

"Very well, we keep him here. Then I want to tell him. Seriously, he's probably figured it out since we asked him to watch Tao yesterday. We're better off being honest with him."

"To a certain extent. We don't give him names. We give him nothing he can dig into, except the bare facts of the situation. Fei, what if you take some time off and be his shadow? You're the best protection we could have for him."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Who protects you while I'm with him?"

Asami was slightly offended and slightly touched at the same time. "I can take care of myself. And I have my own bodyguards. Give me a break, Fei. Besides, if they had any balls they wouldn't try attacking though Akihito and Tao in the first place. These guys are dirty, and they're cowards. They won't dare attack either one of us. Which means while you're with him, he's safe."

"Yes, that's true. And I'll put Yoh with Tao."

"Good choice. The man would do anything for you."

"Don't remind me. I'm hoping he transfers some of that allegiance to Tao."

"He seems to admire the boy. I think it will naturally happen. Putting the two together will only help that. Perhaps we should make it official, give it to him as a permanent post."

"I will consider that. Tao is a teenage boy however. He won't take kindly to having his every move watched, even if it is by someone as circumspect as Yoh."

Asami shrugged. "What the boy does for entertainment is his own business, as long as it doesn't put him in danger, and I'll make sure both he and Yoh understand that."

"I don't approve of that. You're far too lenient with him. And he's not..." Fei cut himself off.

"He's not what? He's not my child?" Asami was surprised by how much that hurt.

Fei blushed. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

He was angry now. "You meant he's less my child than yours. I've taken him as my own, Liu Feilong, just as you have. You may have some sort of seniority, but don't think that he's any less my son." 

Fei walked over to stand behind his chair, and bent, slipping his arms around Asami's neck, resting his cheek on his hair. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm worried about them."

The tension drained from Asami's body. "So am I. This isn't the usual threat."

"But we're more than equal to it."

"Ah. We are." He leaned back into Fei's arms. "It's strange," he mused.

"What's that, my love?"

"Love. If I didn't love, I'd not be here worrying about the three of you. It's made me vulnerable in so many ways. And yet," he reached up and behind his head to caress the cheek that was resting upon his hair, "it gives me a peace, and a conviction, and I think a strength I'd never had. I'll not let you down."

He felt a sigh come from the chest behind him. "Ryuichi. You'll never let us down, even if you fail, because we know that you will always do your damnedest to make things work. That is enough."

"Not for me."

"I know, and it's one of the reasons we love you, that I love you."

He started to pull Fei down into his lap, but he slipped out of reach. "Let's go home. I want Akihito too."

Asami stood. "Let's. It's been a long night. And I'm sure they're wanting explanations."

 

\--

 

Akihito was at the dining table when he heard the front door open. He'd been alone all night, an unusual occurrence. When he text messaged them at bedtime though, they'd told him they would be in meetings most of the night. He knew something wasn't right then, especially when they asked him to keep Tao home from school that day and watch over him. He was pleased that they trusted him with something so important, but knew he wasn't getting the whole story. But he decided questions could wait until they got home.

Which was now. 

He brushed the crumbs from his toast off his shirt and rose from his spot at the table just as they entered. Fei was yawning as he sunk into the chair to Akihito's left. Asami took the chair to his right. He sat back down and looked back and forth between them.

"You two are acting strange. What's up?"

"Are we?" Asami leaned forward and snagged the last piece of toast from his plate, stopping to nip at his earlobe. "How so?" He sat back and took a bite of the bread. 

_Of course no crumbs fell on him_ , Akihito thought with disgust. _They wouldn't dare._

"You're normally over-protective, but today you pushed it. Something must have happened. Did someone threaten Tao?"

His lovers glanced at each other. Asami remained the spokesman. "We've heard rumors that we were being targeted." He said nothing more, and simply accepted a cup of tea from Fei with a nod of thanks.

Akihito's suspicions grew. "So what? That's not unusual. So you must be leaving a lot out. If it were just Tao you'd tell me. So they're threatening me too, aren't they?"

Fei spoke for the first time. He sounded exhausted. "I told you he'd figure it out."

"And what? You weren't planning on saying anything?" He felt an anger start to burn in his gut. He'd thought he'd proven himself.

"Calm down." Asami's eyes were so damned amused. "We came home just for the purpose of telling you."

" _Just_ for that purpose?" Fei let his hand trail along Akihito's arm down to his hand, which he lifted to his lips. Akihito watched in fascination as Fei's tongue started to snatch the buttered bread crumbs from his fingers. 

Then he jerked his hand away. "No distractions. Tell me."

Asami had his tie off. "I disagree. Distractions first," he murmured. "Talk later."

Before Akihito realized it, his hands, one held by Fei, the other by Asami, were behind him and tied snugly with silk. He tested the binding, even while knowing it was a useless exercise, and by the time he was paying attention to them again his shirt was open and down his shoulders, his pants undone, and Asami's greedy mouth was on him, Asami's gold eyes staring up at him, always watching, knowing how it turned him on. He felt his cock throb against the rough roof of Asami's mouth, and moaned at the answering swipe of a tongue along his length.

Fei's arms, deceptively elegant and hiding a strength not many would guess at, lifted him and he slid onto the chair beneath him. Asami took the opportunity to slide his pants down and off. His bare ass settled against the silk-clad rod between Fei's thighs. He wanted it bare against him, and wiggled. He'd missed this all night.

"Eager, are you?" Fei's voice was soft in his ear, and his warm and moist breath made Akihito shiver with anticipation. "Do you want me now Akihito? Tell me what you want."

Asami mouth moved forward and he swallowed. Akihito shuddered, feeling the head of his cock go into Asami's throat.

"Come now Akihito, if you let yourself get distracted too easily you may never get what you want." Fei's fingers played across his nipples, tweaking them gently, sending electric-like tingles through him. 

"Ah!" His back arched into the sensation. He drove his hips down. He felt too empty. He needed some hard heat in there, Fei's, Asami's, it didn't matter as long as it was soon. He pushed back against Fei's lap because he was closer.

Fei's hand reached out and swiped a butter pat from the table. "Ah, it's a bit cold. But you'll warm it up, won't you?" He touched the icy square to Akihito's already hardened nipple. The cold was intense on the sensitive nub. Akihito whimpered and pulled away.

"That looks like fun." Asami had pulled back, but instead of reaching for the butter, he reached for Akihito's glass of water and sucked a couple of ice cubes into his mouth. Then, still watching Akihito, he began sucking at the head of his cock, letting the ice roll around in his mouth, grazing the skin but never for long, leaving Akihito swinging between the cold and the heat, his hips starting to buck.

"Ryu... " he groaned in pleasure. He didn't say more because he didn't know what he wanted more of. He just wanted his lover to give it to him.

"And what about me?" Fei's voice was still at his ear, but his hands were no longer at his chest. He felt a cool soft something, the butter, being pushed into him with a long slim fingers and being spread around inside. That was what he wanted, but it wasn't enough.

"Fei, more..."

"Of course, darling." The fingers were withdrawn, and the familiar thick head of Fei's cock pushed at his entrance. Fei lifted him slightly, then lowered him slowly, steadily, so that the long cock impaled him. He relaxed against the invasion, inviting it, feeling Fei move up into him, joining to him. It was never as much as he wanted, but it was enough. 

His hips came to a rest against Fei's. He could feel Fei's cock twitching inside him in anticipation. Asami moved forward again, but this time his hand was on Akihito's cock and his cold tongue moved down between them, licking at the butter that was spread where they were joined, the tip pushing into Akihito's opening with Fei, teasing them both. Akihito felt Fei shivering behind him and knew he was in for a hard fuck, and he wanted it. He tensed his muscles, squeezing Fei, then relaxed. Then again.

"Akihito don't. I won't be able to control myself."

"I don't want you to. Make it hard Fei." He tensed and relaxed again, encouraging him.

It worked. Fei started fucking him in short brutal strokes. Asami was now kneeling between their legs. He lifted Fei's ankles and set his feet on the table, giving him leverage, then jerked the black silk drawstring pants to Fei's thighs. Asami, fully dressed but for his tie, finally undid his trousers and freed his erection. It fell heavily against Akihito's, and Akihito, eager for any friction, rubbed helplessly against it. 

Asami swiped some more of the butter off the table and held in his fist as he enclosed the two cocks and began pumping them, coating them with the grease. Then he tilted Fei backwards and slowly pushed into him.

Akihito knew then they must have already fucked that night, if Asami wasn't taking the time to prepare Fei. He wasn't jealous, well maybe a little, but they were here, taking care of him now, so the jealousy fled.

Fei twisted and writhed while he was being invaded, making him move inside Akihito like a vibrator, and the sensations pushed Akihito almost to the edge but not quite there. He slung his legs around Asami's waist and desperately pulled him closer. Asami was the master here. Asami would see to it that he had what he needed. He sat up and buried his face in Asami's neck, all the while Fei was pumping into him, driving him to the brink. "Ryu... please."

Asami's fingers threaded through his hair and pulled his head back. "Whatever my Akihito desires." He leaned down and covered Akihito's mouth with his own, sucking his tongue with a force that almost ripped it out.

Asami's hips began pumping quickly up into Fei's, driving him in turn into Akihito. This was no gentle lovemaking, but hard and fast, though lovemaking it remained. Fei's moans behind him at each thrust were loud to the point of waking neighbors, and he knew he was almost forgotten by the man. But it didn't matter because Asami was fucking them both, his cock in Fei, his hands and mouth on Akihito. Fei came with a cry, flooding Akihito with his seed, then Akihito felt himself pulled forward onto Asami's lap, off Fei's cock and onto Asami's, the larger cock pushing into him, stretching him wider than he always though possible.

"Now."

Asami's mouth dropped back onto his and his head was locked in a bruising grip that wouldn't let him pull back. As if he wanted to. Fei freed his wrists and Akihito's arms went around Asami's neck, his hands pulling the dark brown head against his lips as he sucked on Asami's tongue, letting it slip deep into his mouth and tickle the entrance to his throat. Asami swallowed his moans as he fucked him mercilessly, hips pounding against his, the thuds ringing through his whole body. He was barely aware of Fei's hands coming around him, stroking his cock, until with one last jerk his body finally spilled itself over the three of them, convulsing around Asami's cock, which began twitching inside him as a thick liquid pumped from it into his body. 

The three leaned against each other, breathing heavily, sharing warmth, each running his hands over the others, caressing, gently now, slowly now, once again sated.

The door to the hallway opened.

"Oh my god. What is ...you used the butter? I am so never eating butter again." The door slammed shut behind Tao.

The three of them shook helplessly as the laughter poured out of them.

It would be the last time they laughed together like that for a while. 

 

 

Fei showered, then rather contritely approached the study where he knew Tao was studying. Asami was already at his desk working. Tao was ignoring him. 

Asami looked up from his computer when Fei came in and nodded at their son, eyes amused. "I'm being punished for fucking his fathers using part of his breakfast. I did apologize for not leaving him enough condiments, but it didn't seem to do the trick."

Tao spun about on the loveseat. "That was not the point. I can understand that with the hours you keep you won't just be doing that at night like normal people, but can you not restrict yourself to the bedrooms when I'm home?"

Asami leaned back in his chair, his eyes dancing. "Why should we? Just don't come in when you hear moaning. Your father could have waked the dead this morning as loud as he was."

Fei felt his cheeks grow hot. "Ryuichi, please."

"What? I won't be dictated to in my own house."

Tao threw his book down onto the cushion beside him. "Well it's my house too! Though sometimes you all seem to forget I even live here. Sometimes I wonder if it would have been better if I'd stayed in Hong Kong."

"When you're like this sometimes I wonder that too. Grow up."

"Ryuichi! Tao! Stop it."

"Grow up? I'm 12 years old! What kind of twelve year old has to worry about stepping into his parents' sex games whenever he turns the corner?"

Asami's face turned hard. "You're right. I only had to worry before I hit the age of seven. By the time I was twelve my mother was long dead from the whoring and the drugs. I guess I can't identify with your pain." His eyes widened as he realized what he'd said and he stood abruptly. "Shit." He walked quickly from the room, Fei looking helplessly after him, tears starting in his eyes.

Akihito came in and took one look at them. "What happened? Where's Ryu?"

"Go after him Akihito. He needs you."

"What happened?

"Just go."

"Father?"

Fei turned to his son, who took in his appearance and looked even more guilty. Tao's eyes filled with tears. "I didn't mean...."

Fei walked over and sat on the loveseat, pulling Tao down beside him. "I know you didn't Tao. We're just under a lot of stress right now. It would be best to save arguments like this for another time."

"I need to tell him I'm sorry. I didn't think... I've never seen him look hurt before. Sometimes I didn't think he could even be hurt."

"He keeps it all inside, Tao, except for the three of us, because he loves us."

Tao was crying now. "And I hurt him." He tried standing, but Fei wouldn't let him go. "I want to talk to him."

"Later Tao. Let Akihito talk with him first." Fei wrapped his arms tightly around his son, hoping that Akihito was doing the same with Asami.

 

Akihito found him outside, standing in the garden beside their small pond. If it had been a civilized garden, he would have been an anomaly. But the garden was a bit wild around the water, and Asami fit right in. Akihito stopped and watched for a minute. Asami's back was to him, and it was stiff as a board. He walked forward, taking care to make plenty of noise. It was never a good idea to surprise the man when he was this tense.

He stepped up beside his lover, facing the pond. Casually glancing over, he saw Asami's face was carefully blank. But Akihito had learned that with Asami there were different levels of blank. This one signified a deep pain. He stepped closer and slid an arm around the man's waist, and leaned his head on his shoulder. "What happened, Ryu?"

"I fucked up."

"How so?"

Asami took a deep breath. "I was angry, and in a fit of pique spilled something the kid never needed to hear. Something I didn't want to tell anyone but you and Fei. Like I was playing the pity card. Like I wanted him to feel sorry for me. And because I wanted to shame him. That's inexcusable."

Akihito considered this. "Something about your past?"

"Ah," was the only answer he received.

He framed his answer carefully. "I think, Ryu, that Tao is old enough to hear it. He knows our backgrounds aren't milk and honey. So it's just a question of how you told him."

Asami had a cigarette in his mouth and was searching for his lighter, but failed to find it. "Shit." He threw the cigarette into the pond, where a goldfish promptly ate it. 

Akihito stopped the rebuke that rose to his lips. "That bad, huh?"

The eyes that Asami turned on him were angry. "Yeah, that bad. I, Asami Ryuichi, lashed out at a 12 year old boy, my son, to make him feel bad about the way he was pouting."

"About us having sex?"

"And ignoring him when we do, which isn't surprising, but also failing to see the house as his home as well. He had a right to gripe. But I am not restricting myself because I live with some brat."

"Your brat. Your son."

"You don't have to remind me of that!"

"Don't I? We're family now, Ryu. That means not everyone gets their way. It means compromise. It's the only way it works."

"Fuck. You realize that's my least favorite word."

Akihito smiled. "And here I thought that was 'No'."

Asami glanced at him again, this time amused. "They're both on my list of Top Ten Things You Don't Want to Say to Me."

"That's for everyone else though, don't you think? Isn't it different with you and me and Fei and Tao?"

"Yes, it is." Asami's body relaxed under his arm. His own, ever in concert with his mate's, relaxed as well.

Asami released a long sigh. "I suppose I need to go in and talk this out."

"It's probably best."

"You're as annoying as Hamada sometimes, with all the talking crap. Okay, let's go."

"I'll be with you."

"Did I ask you to be?"

"No. You don't have to. I'll always be there, even when you don't ask. Even when you do something stupid."

"You know, you're losing your sweetness with old age."

"And you, like a stinky cheese, are becoming sharper."

"You're bickering. That's a good sign. I take it everything is fine now?" They both turned to see Fei gracefully stepping through the long damp grass, holding his cheongsam up, lifting his feet high like a gazelle, and both of them smiled at the sight.

"Yes, it's fine, except for the requisite 'talk' that always has to occur. How's the kid?"

Fei's eyes crinkled at the first, then his face sobered at the question. "Our son, is in tears but quiet for now. He wants to talk to you and apologize. I came to see if that was alright. He's quite upset about hurting you."

"Hurting me? Jesus." Asami turned from them again, fists clenched. When he turned back a moment later, there was the familiar determination in his eyes. "Where is he, the study?"

"Yes."

Asami strode off toward the house, not waiting for them to follow, but after giving him a few minutes, follow they did.

 

\--

 

They met him running down from the upper floor, his face grim. "He's not in the house. Did you have the chance to talk to him about the dangers of leaving here without protection?"

Fei felt alarms go off inside. "No. No, we were going to, remember?" He reached into his pocket for his cell phone and called Yoh. "Yoh, has Tao left the premises?"

Yoh sounded out of breath. "Yeah, I thought he was staying in today, caught me off guard, took off like a bat out of hell on his bike. I'm trying to catch him."

"On foot?"

"He cut through some alleys, I had to dump the car or I couldn't have followed. Kenichi's in the car trying to get to a road where he can track him. Feilong-sama, I think they're after him. I saw a car pull out behind him. A dark blue sedan. Fuck! I can't see him anymore! Kenichi, you got anything?"

Fei covered his mouthpiece. "Akihito, try to reach Tao's cell. He's in danger out there. They'd planned to grab you two and it sounds like they're making a move. We need to get him home." 

Asami swore under his breath, then took off at a run for the door. The other two sprang after him, Fei still talking into the phone. "Yoh, you know what's at stake. Don't lose him. If you ever cared for me, don't lose him."

 

Akihito quickly dug into his jeans and hit his speed dial. After a few moments he shook his head. "His phone's off."

Asami stopped as they reached the car. "Akihito, they're after you too. Stay here."

"Dammit, Ryu, you don't have to protect me. Let me help!"

Fei stepped between them, pleading. "Please, Akihito. So we only have to worry in one direction. And so you'll be here if he calls. Please, for me."

He gave in because there was no time to argue. "Fuck. Fine. Go without me. But you'd better get him back." 

Asami pulled him into his arms for a quick, fierce kiss, then whispered, so softly Akihito wasn't sure he'd heard it, "Thank you."

Akihito stood looking after them helplessly as they tore out of the drive. _Please, let him be okay._

 

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

 

"Yoh, we're in the car, where are you?"

"Couple of kilometers south west." Panting. "Toward the train station. Looked like he was heading there."

Fei turned to Asami. "Train station." Asami spun the car into a turn and stomped on the gas.

 

\--

 

He wasn't there. They waited, directing their full complement of men by phone, having them search the entire area, offering rewards, threats, bribes. But Tao couldn't be found, and no one remembered seeing him. Yoh came running in after a half hour and collapsed at their feet, apologizing. He had nothing to add. 

They stayed on the phone with Akihito, taking another disposable cell out when the next died. Another hour passed this way, gaining them nothing. 

Akihito found Tao's phone, turned off and forgotten, sitting on the boy's nightstand. Fei was now beside himself. He never let himself lose his cool, but he remembered what he'd done to the man the night before, and hoped to all the gods that revenge wouldn't be visited upon his son. He felt Asami's hand on his shoulder.

"Stop it, Fei. You're no good to him if you keep doing this to yourself. We're both to blame. Accept it and move on. We have to be at our best to get him back. I shouldn't have to be telling you this."

"And how would you feel if it was Akihito instead?" Fei spat out, not caring if Akihito heard him.

Asami smiled a little. "I'd be just as worried, but I know he'd give as good as he got and that he'd fight to the end. And that's something about Tao you're forgetting, he's a survivor. He's smart, as smart as you or I. He'll think of some way to last, to buy us time. We just have to use that time wisely and get to him as quickly as possible. And then we make them regret they ever touched him."

Fei stared at the man radiating such confidence. A born leader, calm determination flowing from him and seeping into Fei. "You're right of course. Let's return to the house. We'll set up a temporary headquarters there. There are things we'll need to do that we don't want mentioned at the office."

 

\--

 

The message came into their headquarters by an anonymous call two hours later. They were given three days to withdraw all members from five specified areas of Tokyo, signing their holdings over in a legally binding contract to the Seto Consortium, the original notarized copy of which was to be delivered the Bank of Japan by noon Thursday to be held there until a company representative picked it up. The contract followed by fax. 

The caller also described in detail what would be done to Tao should this fail to happen. Fei threw up. His methods never approached their cruelty. Asami watched grimly as his lover pulled himself back together. There would be no leniency for these men. Indeed, Asami thought, some of their very methods just might be put into practice upon them. Though he'd never let Akihito know. And maybe not even Fei.

"Seto? That's the name that son of a bitch mentioned the other night. What the hell's this Seto Consortium? Do we have anything on them yet Yoh?"

Yoh looked up from where he was working on his laptop in the corner of Asami's study. "I'd not heard of it before that, Asami-sama. I am, however, searching all possible relevant uses of the word in connection with current crime families. It's taking a while though, with the number of international groups that have been added into the mix lately."

"Good thinking. Keep at it. That guy the other night, he said they if they succeeded they'd be accepted into one of the bigger gumi, that a higher up had met with them. He wasn't saying who yet though since it wasn't a done deal. Dammit! We were so concerned with what might happen we didn't dig into what had happened. Start with all our reports of recent meetings within the ten biggest gumi, Yamaguchi on down."

Yoh just looked at him. 

"I know it's a lot of information. Grab whatever company resources you need."

"We know one thing about them. They're cowards, using a child, hiding behind my son." Feilong hissed. 

He was becoming more animal-like as the hours passed. Asami was wondering when he'd cross the line to beast, and if he'd be around to control him when it happened. In the meantime, he calmed him with words.

"Calm down, Fei. We'll find them. We just have to work from the bottom up and get them. They'll pay, trust me." The beast withdrew, for a time.

The anonymous call and fax were easily traced. Both came from the same 24 hour print shop. Asami had his men swarming through it, looking for clues. They found nothing but a vague recollection of a youngish man who'd worn a hat, sunglasses and nondescript clothes. It could have been anyone. Frustration was building for everyone.

They were stuck on Monday night with no idea of where to find him, no leads, nothing but a name that meant nothing, Seto.

The three of them, however, were far from finished.

Asami had been staring at the parlor ceiling, smoking during a break, when his gaze suddenly dropped down to meet Akihito's. "Akihito, do you think you could get airtime with this as a missing child story to drum up attention? The demands said nothing about keeping it quiet. I realize you've done nothing like television, but you're a natural. If money could pave the way and get you on we'd be in a position to do more. Anyone who saw anything could phone it in and we'd be that much closer to getting him back. I'll pull whatever strings you need."

Akihito, who'd forgiven Asami for leaving him behind earlier after hearing that he thought him more than capable of handling himself, jumped at the chance to uphold his lover's belief in him. He understood immediately what Asami intended and took to it with a vengeance. He phoned the editor he dealt with at Shimbun, and after hearing a slightly revised truth the man sympathetically offered to call his girlfriend who produced a news show at one of Tokyo's bigger TV channels. Akihito convinced her of the story's importance, for the first time throwing Asami's money at whatever got in the way. And when the producer saw Akihito's good looks and vivacity, she immediately set him up with a veteran reporter to co-report the story in person. Akihito's tears, beauty, and concern over the boy made him a sure success.

The report went on the air across the city at lunchtime Tuesday, and Tao's face was plastered on screens as far as the public could see. It wasn't his face or Akihito's though that really caught their attention, it was the one billion yen reward and phone number listed at the bottom of the screen. Akihito's story was beautiful, painting a picture of an orphan given a home with a loving Tokyo family after being taken from the slums of Hong Kong, only to be torn from it by violent criminals capable of harming anyone's child.

Asami glanced at the TV in amusement. "Does Hong Kong even have slums?"

"SHHH!" came the voices from all his men gathered around the TV. Insubordinate pricks. But for once he let it slide. Akihito on camera was mesmerizing.

Akihito even interviewed Fei, who somehow managed to look both the worn father and beautifully deadly at the same time. Breaths were held around the city when he looked straight at the camera and gave his message to the kidnappers with a cold smile on his face and a promise in his eyes. "You may think, at some point, that harming my son is a good idea. Or perhaps you will merely get angry and want to harm me through him. I suggest that you do not. For if you harm one hair on his head, neither you nor your families nor loved ones will be safe from my wrath, and I will teach you first hand the secrets of pain. You have my word on this as the head of the House of Liu."

Akihito stayed on the air, periodically updating the viewing audience, keeping Tao at the forefront of their minds. The reward money was so great some people left work to scour the city. Calls started pouring into the reward line. Yoh brought in ten more men to deal with the volume of calls. The most important call, however, came on the heels of Fei's interview and went straight to Asami's cell phone.

"Tell that transvestite pig of a woman of yours that he just cost his son an eye. We'll send you pictures of him getting fucked in his eye socket once we rip it out."

Asami's voice was deceptively mild. "Might I suggest you are making a mistake on two counts? First, a transvestite woman would dress like a man, thus bringing your insult to nothing except pig, which is rather childish."

"You fucking prick –"

"And secondly, if you hurt him, that is the end. You will get nothing but death. It will not be pleasant." His voice held a savage fury, barely checked. "Do you understand me, boy? Triad torture is unpleasant, but compared to what I'll do to you it's a walk in the park. Your only hope in getting out of this in one piece is to return Tao to us whole, happy, and alive. If you're smart, you'll drop him off at our offices and be done with it, but since you took him in the first place I can only assume you're an imbecile."

"Fuck you, Asami. Once this is over with you'll wish you'd never heard our name."

"Ah yes... What was it again?"

The call was disconnected.

Yoh looked up from his laptop, his eyes fierce. "It's a cell. Feilong-sama pissed him off enough that he didn't think and he used his own cell. We have a name. Nagai Atsushi. I'll work on a location."

Asami smiled. It was the most frightening thing Yoh'd ever seen. "Get Matsura."

The man arrived moments later. Being Asami's bodyguard meant staying close.

"Matsura, get the names of Nagai Atsushi's friends and relatives in Tokyo and have them picked up. Take them to a central location, by the water." _So we can dispose of bodies if need be._ It wasn't said, but it was understood.

Asami stepped closer to the man, lowering his voice. "I may require some harsh actions upon innocent people. Harsher than I've ever asked of you."

Matsura smiled. "I wouldn't be in this business if I didn't enjoy it to some degree. And I admit, I am fond of the Young Master. He will make an excellent successor to you. I will do whatever is necessary, Asami-sama." He bowed slightly, his ever-present sunglasses glinting, before he left.

Asami nodded. It was always good to have at least one sadist in one's employ.

 

Yoh lowered his eyes. He worked with Matsura, as he was one of Asami's right hand men. But the man's enjoyment of violence sickened him at times. Still, in this case, he had to agree with his master's decision. Whatever it took, to get Tao back.

 

\--

 

In a few hours, Akihito added the information about the kidnapper to his televised report, noting on the side that all the man's family and friends seemed to have disappeared. Perhaps, he hypothesized, they were ashamed of him. Perhaps, he suggested, they would return home when their son released his hostage. 

It was Tuesday evening.

 

\--

 

They'd bought access to the cellphone records and found that the call had been made from the center of Shinjuku under one of the large outside television screens. He must have seen the interview and called on the spot. But the information was useless.

His name didn't link to anything in their files, but the when their friend the prosecutor Kuroda tried the police database there was a hit almost instantly, and a mug shot to go with it. The police file also had a very interesting link. He had, at one time, worked for the Goda group.

"Goda? Those second-tier sons of bitches? Yoh, have you got anything between Goda and anything named Seto?"

"I'll get on it," he called from the corner that was now his office.

Fei was wired now, and wired too hot. He couldn't sit still, tearing up the carpet with his pacing. "Ryuichi, we need to hit them hard, now. Tao's running out of time."

Asami watched him bouncing from wall to wall, wondering when the explosion would come. Fei's judgment was slipping to the point he was becoming a detriment. "Fei, we're still guessing at this point. It's possible that it's them, but they're too big to go up against without knowing for sure."

Fei spun around to stare at him accusingly. "I thought you said Tao was important to you!"

_Shit. I don't need this right now._ "Use your head, dammit! If we go up against them we're going to lose a lot of men. And what if we find out it's someone else? We'll have war on two sides, when we should have saved our resources for a concerted attack on the real enemy." Asami took a deep breath and approached his assassin carefully, for the assassin was in full control right now. "Fei... I know you're worried. I'm worried too. But if we punch in the wrong direction the real culprit will jump in and knock us out."

"Asami-sama! Matsura just uploaded the data from the group at the warehouse."

"Yoh, this is a bad time."

"Too bad to hear that Nagai's mother's maiden name is Seto?"

Fei's eyes blazed like the devil's. Asami, looking into them, felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. "Is she connected to Goda?"

Fei's eyes didn't leave his. "Yoh, is she?"

Yoh's voice was tired and frustrated. "I don't know. I'm working on it."

"Yoh." Fei's voice was silky smooth. "If you work fast enough I'll give you the fuck of your life."

Asami froze in disbelief, then a rage tore through him that had him shaking from trying to control it. It was only the thought of Akihito that let him. And yet it was thought of what that betrayal would do to Akihito that made it next to impossible to stop. "The hell you will."

Yoh's hands hung motionless over his keyboard. He was looking at Fei in shock. Then he took one look at Asami, closed his laptop, and headed for the door. "I'll be working down the hall." He paused at the door, looking down at the carpet. "I expected better of you Feilong-sama." And he left. 

Fei looked like he'd been slapped in the face. Asami knew the crisis was past. But Asami was pissed.

He shoved Fei in the chest, knocking him back against the bookcase. He took Fei's jaw in his grip and held him still, making sure those eyes stayed on his. "I don't mind the flirting. In fact I find it entertaining, your effect on others. But what happened just now wasn't funny. Not only did you insult one of our best men, you insulted me, and worst of all, you insulted Akihito. You swear to me now that this will never happen again, or by god I'll take steps to see that it doesn't."

Fei's eyes blazed again. "You don't own me."

"You're wrong, and when this is over I intend to teach you how wrong. But this has nothing to do with ownership. What would Akihito be feeling if he'd seen that? _'His happiness is everything to me.'_ Do you remember saying that Fei? I remember hearing it. But it seems that it was all talk."

Fei's eyes dropped, and he tried to turn his face away, a transgressing wolf before his pack leader, but Asami held firm. When Fei finally looked back up, his eyes were full of shame. "My temper... I didn't mean...." He took a deep breath and started over. "Ryuichi. I'm sorry. I wouldn't have. Surely you know that. I was just... I was being stupid. Letting my temper rule. I'm so angry, and there's nothing to lash out at. I want to kill and all we do is plan and wait. I'm not good at waiting like this. Which is no excuse, I know."

He ran his hand through his hair, letting some fall as partial cover over his eyes. Asami still watched them, judging.

"And to do this to you, now of all times... If you ever needed a partner to help carry the load it's now. And instead I have been a child. You must be disgusted." His eyes shimmered behind their veil of hair. "I can't say I blame you. For Yoh to say something... I don't think I've ever been more soundly reprimanded in all my life.

"Ryuichi." His hands lifted as if to touch Asami and fell to his sides. "Asami. I feel like I've lost the right to call you by your name...."

Asami felt his rage drain away as Fei spoke. He let go of Fei's jaw. "Don't be a fool," he said softly, stepping back.

Fei did grab his arms then, his eyes full of upset. "You must know how much I love and respect both you and Akihito. You're my life. Your happiness is everything to me. I never would have... I never will. I promise."

"I know." Asami made no move to touch him, no longer angry, but still unhappy.

Fei stepped closer. His voice was a mere whisper. "Do you want me to leave? Because I cannot. Don't push me away."

Asami gave in with a sigh and put his arms around Fei's waist. "No one's asking you to leave, Fei, and if you try to, I'll stop you. What we have is for life. I'll kick the crap out of you if you ever do something like that again, but you'll always be a part of us." He leaned his head forward, resting his forehead on Fei's. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm feeling the strain too. But you need to control yourself. What we feel and do goes all the way down through the ranks. And Akihito..."

The question was hesitant. "Will you tell him?"

Asami lifted his head and brushed the long hair back from his husband's face. "No. He doesn't need to know about this. But never again, Fei."

"I swear it. I mean it. I'm sorry." Fei stepped back and bowed before him, making him distinctly uncomfortable. Others were to bow before him. But never Akihito, and never Liu Feilong. 

There was a knock at the door, relieving Asami. He quickly answered.

"Come."

It was Yoh. He wouldn't look at them. 

Fei walked across the floor to stand before him, wincing when Yoh flinched. He bowed deeply to him as well. "I am truly sorry, Yoh, more than I can say. You deserve so much better from me. If you'll forgive me, I'll strive to behave appropriately in the future."

Yoh raised his eyes, and they softened. "Feilong-sama, we're all under strain because we're worried about Tao, you the most because he is your son. I thank you for the apology, but please, let us put it behind us and work on getting him back. And I have something that may help that."

Yoh turned to Asami.

"Asami-sama, I'd sent Matsura a message to question the woman. He... persuaded her to talk. It turns out she was the mistress of Goda's head, Osato. Nagai is his illegitimate son, though he has not been acknowledged."

Asami felt a surge of energy as his weariness fell away. "And this is his bid to gain his old man's recognition. And perhaps be made heir? Too bad he won't live to see the day."

Fei's eyes rose cautiously to meet Asami's. "Now?"

"Mmmm, let's be smart about it and save our men for the endgame. We remove their queen and the pawns will be so eager to replace her they won't even noticed they've been checkmated. We just have to apply some pressure in the right places. Now we use Akihito."

 

\--

 

Akihito's next report showed him at his best: it was comprehensive, accurate, and full of the kind of fire that ignited other people. It contained an exposé of Nagai's birthright, laying out the case before the people of Tokyo. The contract, his mother's name, his father's true name, and his father's true occupation. All there, in black and white, showing his and his family's long involvement in organized crime, suggesting that the kidnapping of a prominent businessman's son was not a coincidence, and that Tao, a child, was being abused by the yakuza thugs in their greed for money and power. 

The mood those days in Tokyo being what it was against the yakuza, Akihito inflamed the public. Their outrage was instantaneous. They clamored for the police to look into it and the police decided, with the help of substantial bribes and some shoves from Asami's favorite prosecutor, that it might be prudent to do so. Wednesday morning they took Osato along with his second in command, their chief accountant, and the whole of their information network into custody.

Fei was waiting for Osato in his cell. The incident in Asami's office had sobered him. It hadn't lessened his rage. Asami's police, in a mistake of judgment perhaps, left them there alone. 

"Give the word for my son's release."

The old man looked at him with the eyes of a weasel. "I will not, unless you arrange for all charges against me to be dismissed. I know you own these men."

"Only the charges against you? What of your men? What of your son?"

"It appears that they colluded against me, planning this foolish attack."

Loathing pushed at Fei's control. His fingers itched for the steel that was strapped along his forearms. "You would betray your own son?"

"Sons are easy to replace." He looked Fei up and down. "For a man, that is." The man died before he could get another word out, a stiletto through his neck. His death was later reported to the press as resulting from a bad heart.

Fei went to the second, now Goda's acting head, and repeated the offer, explaining that his leader had sold him out and was now dead. The man foolishly didn't believe the betrayal and through some misplaced loyalty attacked him, rightfully blaming him for Osato's death. This time the police, more careful, had not let Fei into the cell alone. However the beating that followed at their hands ensured that the man wouldn't speak for weeks, much less take over the syndicate. 

Fei finally went to the accountant, who wasn't stupid and spilled everything Fei could possibly want to know, including where to find the locations of all the properties Goda owned. However, unfortunately, and Fei believed him for the man would have sold his mother to get out from under Fei's cold eyes, the man didn't know any more than that.

 

\--

 

Fei apologized to Asami for his hastiness. 

Asami shrugged. "If you hadn't done it, I'd have arranged for it myself. You gave him a better death than he deserved." 

He leaned back in the tall leather chair behind his desk. "We are better off now in two ways. One, we have the list of properties, though it is much longer than I wanted. And two, Osato is dead, so there will probably be enough infighting that Goda won't want a war with us. They'll drop all ties to Nagai and may even offer to help us get him as reparation. That will make Nagai desperate, and chances are he's going to fuck up soon. Tao is now his only hope. He'll keep him alive at all costs."

Fei's eyes were resolute. "We will not let him harm our son."

Asami's eyes agreed, though he remained silent. A few minutes later though, while searching the property list for anything that smelled off, he spoke up. "Fei, you must tell me, once this is over, what was in his eyes when you drove the blade into his neck."

His lover's eyes shone with the memory. "It will be my pleasure."

 

\--

 

"Ryu!" Akihito ran into their makeshift headquarters. "Wakabayashi Seizou wants me to interview him! In 30 minutes outside police headquarters."

"Who the hell is Wakabayashi Seizou?"

Yoh looked up, surprised. "He was a low lieutenant, but with all the upper echelon fleeing, he took the initiative and made himself the new acting head of the Goda Group."

Asami smirked. "And I just bet he'd love to have the backing of one of the strongest organizations in Japan. What's he like, Yoh?"

"He's good. He's a bit like you."

Asami's eyebrow rose. "Well then, that settles it."

 

\--

 

Fei stood to the side and examined the handsome young man. He and Asami had not let Akihito go within reach of this possible danger without one of them personally standing by.

"...furthermore, we do not use children to fight battles that are better left in the boardrooms. We demand that those misguided young men who have kidnapped this child return him safe to the bosom of his family, and that they give themselves up into the hands of the police. That is, I assure them, the safest place for them to be." Wakabayashi's eyes glinted with the promise of retribution.

The crowd gasped as he turned toward Fei, knelt and bowed into the ground. The camera swung over to get Fei's reaction. 

Fei took the man's hand and raised him to his feet, not only cementing an organized crime alliance on national TV under the noses of the police, but also making the simultaneous sighs of millions of watching women a near audible thing.

And hidden in the man's hand had been a memory card with as much detail as Wakabayashi had known on the operation. The scheme had, unfortunately, stemmed from the former head twice removed, and those at the lower levels hadn't been aware of his foolish plans. But they had a good idea of where Nagai and his buddies might be. 

It was early Wednesday evening.

 

\--

 

They compared Wakabayashi's list to the reports that had come in through the reward line, and they narrowed it down to three properties: an old apartment building, an empty warehouse, and an abandoned dance club that had been closed down two years before. Asami, Fei, and Yoh each took one, each with a full complement of men. They decided to hit them simultaneously in case Nagai had men in all locations.

 

\--

 

They wore headsets to keep in touch, Asami, Fei, and Yoh on one channel via cell phone conference, their teams on another via radio. Akihito was given access too, to listen, but warned that one wrong word out of him would get him cut off. Asami checked the connections.

"Akihito, are you there?"

"I can hear. And I know, I'll keep quiet."

"Yes, you will, because if you throw anyone's actions off I'll whip your ass raw. Yoh, can you hear me?"

[Yes, Asami-sama. The club looks quiet from here, the typical late night drunkards around, but nothing suspicious.]

"Fei, what about you?"

_"There's no one around here, no noise, nothing. The docks are quiet, the warehouse dark."_

"This old apartment building is showing some activity, but it looks to be some winos. We'll see. There are a lot of rooms here they could be in. Maeda, are our men in place?"

"Yes, Asami-sama."

"Fei? Yoh?"

He heard the queries go out to their men.

[Yes, Asami-sama. We're ready to go on your signal.]

_"Enough waiting. Let's just get going."_

Fei sounded too tense. "Fei, turn your radio off, phone only. Yoh, close your ears." He clicked his own radio to mute, still listening however.

_"What is it now?"_.

"I love you."

After a second, he heard Fei start laughing. _"You always pick the damnedest time to say things. And I know just why you did. Alright. It worked. Let's do this."_

They snapped their radios back on.

"Yoh?"

[Got it.]

_"You listened in, didn't you Yoh?"_

[Would I do that?]

_"Yes!"_

"You two....! We're going in 5...4...3...2...1...Go!"

[Go!]

_"Go! Now!"_

Voices started flooding in as they talked to their teams and each other:

"Get in there! If anyone lets them through I'll have his balls for supper."

_"Who's in? Team leaders report!"_

[Why are you still outside? Follow the plan!]

_"That's everyone. I'm coming in now."_

"I'm headed in. If anyone accidentally shoots me I'll repay him with a pistol up his ass."

There was faint laughter in the background. 

[Idiots, they don't know he means it.]

_Is it this dead everywhere?_

[It looks like there's access to a floor above this one. Ketou, break that door down. Take two men and check it out.]

_"Fan out, make sure you use the infrared. I don't want to miss him because he's unconscious."_

"You found what? Homeless people? Maeda, find out what they know then throw them in a room with a guard."

[I can't hear... Okay they're in.]

_"Yoh what--- Fuck! Who fired that shot? Them or us? Talk to me!"_

[Feilong-sama?]

_"Hold on..."_

[Did you hear that? Ketou, someone's up there, at the back. Get into the back rooms! Move!]

"The first two floors are clean. Everyone but Maeda's team head up to three and four. Fei...?"

_"A fucking rat? False alarm! Stand down, he shot a fucking rat. Of all the...! I'm going to break his fucking fingers. Yoh, what have you got?"_

[You four, get your heads out of your asses and follow me! Ketou? Who is it? Is he there? Is it him?]

"Team leaders, report back in when you get to your assigned floor. Yoh? Fei?"

[I don't know, there's at least one person holed up back there. I'm almost there.]

"Speak up? What? Send them down to the holding room on one. Maeda, some more homeless headed down. Stick 'em in the pen."

_"There's no noise here. Dammit, no sign of anything. Yoh, talk to me! Is it him?"_

[I'm not there yet!]

"I don't have time for that! Take care of it yourself dammit. It's what I pay you for. YOH!"

[Dammit give me ten seconds! Get that door open!]

_Goddammit! No, we're not leaving until every inch of this place is scoured, so get busy. If one of you misses him because you were lazy you'll be floating in the bay in the morning, in very small pieces. Yoh???_

[ _Don't kill me please, I'm just staying here. They just told me to stay here and watch._ ]  
[Fuck! No. It's just some old man.]

"Shit!"

"Get off the air Akihito!"

[There's no one else here. Who told you to stay here? Speak up. Who's paying you?]  
[ _Don't hurt me! The company who owns this. They're paying me to watch the property and make it look lived in. But I'll go. I'm sorry. Here. Here's their card. See? Seto. It's legit. Please don't hurt me._ ]  
[I won't hurt you if you tell me where the hell to find them.]  
[ _I don't know. The one who comes here is always complaining about where they work, that's all I know. It's a big old place._ ]  
[A warehouse? An apartment building?]  
[ _No, I don't think it's a warehouse. They live there. An apartment, it must be an apartment I think, that's all I know!_ ]  
[Keep him here, but don't mistreat him. Asami-sama, it looks like it's to you. Do you require assistance?]

"Good work Yoh. No, stay there, you wouldn't make it here on time. Make sure he doesn't call -- Fuck! Where did those shots come from? ... Where? Six? Everyone copy that? Shots on six, get up there, but easy. I'm on my way."

_"Ryuichi?"_

"Shots fired from the sixth floor corner apartment, I'm on my way up. Keep checking the warehouse Fei. You might find something we can use."

Shots and the shouts of men in battles were heard in the background. In the foreground was his labored breathing as he raced up the steps with all he had.

"I'm at five, the shooting stopped."

He made it to six in time to hear a voice break the silence, a voice he recognized from the phone call.

"That's you, isn't it Asami? You fucking piece of shit. Come to get your boy back? I finally figured out why. He's not your son, you faggot, he's your fucktoy. I saw that pretty ass and once I had a taste I realized that was the main draw. He's just like a little girl, so slim and tight. Squeals like one too. Come and get what's left of him, ruined like you ruined me and my family..."

Asami's hands shook. _Not Tao. No. Not this. I will rip them to pieces._

_"Ryuichi...?"_ Fei's voice was raw with anguish.

"Fei, let Ryu work."

_I must have pushed Nagai too hard._

_Dammit! What was I thinking?_

_Fei..._

_Tao..._

Asami unclenched his jaw and managed to force words out. "It's him. He's here. Don't talk anymore. I need to think." But his emotions wouldn't let him. _Fuck! This is exactly why—_

"Ryu, I heard what he said."

_Akihito._

"What he really said. He said Tao's alive. And if he's alive, we'll help him through whatever has happened, because we love him. It's what's going to save him, it's what saved all of us. But first you have to bring him home. So please, go kill that son of a bitch, if only to shut him up, and bring our boy back to us so we can take care of him."

Asami laughed at the unexpected instructions, and his mind cleared of clutter, not even so much at the words, but at the speaker's presence. _Thank you, Akihito._

"I'll get him back." He knew what he had to do.

He talked to his men, ignoring the voice that hurled insults in the background. This would silence it. "I've had enough of this sick fuck. I'm not playing his game. We're putting an end to this. Maeda, I want you up here directing all teams but mine. Leave two men on the homeless, make sure they don't cause trouble. I want everyone else watching any possible escape routes." 

He started calling out assignments. "Tanahashi, take your team to the roof, just in case. Nakahara, you're still below, right? Take your men out into the alley under his windows. That leaves you two. Tokura, your men are back up. Don't let anyone through. Kouno, your team is coming with me. Leave your headsets off, they'll just add to the confusion. Now everyone move into place." 

Asami gave them ten minutes to get into position. His headset got switched off with the rest. He didn't want the others to hear what might happen.

Maeda arrived and started gathering reports. He signaled Asami when everyone had sent word that they were where he wanted them. Nagai had finally stopped shouting, probably because he was getting no response. _Well_ , thought Asami, _he'll have more than enough response in a moment._

Asami turned to the men gathered below. "I'm going in first, you'll be directly behind me. Shoot anything that isn't small and Chinese. Tao is in there. You make damned sure that what you shoot isn't him. Got it?" There was a murmur of assent. "Then we move _now_."

Asami stepped up into the hallway, took long swift strides down to the apartment and kicked the door in.

His eyes instantly took in their numbers and positions as he dove through the door and rolled into a crouch in the hall. He called them out. Seven, five to the right in the living room, one against the wall to the left, already falling, the last down the hall in a room, his head sticking out from the doorway, looking behind him to talk to someone. He fired. The head exploded against the wall behind it. 

Kouno and his men followed closely, firing right and left to cover him into the hallway beyond the living room. 

Asami paused there, the men behind him dealing with the others. He saw Kouno flinch as a dark stain appeared on his leg and Asami grabbed his arm and dragged him the rest of the way forward to relative safety. They were next to the open doorway with the corpse lying across it. It was dark inside. 

Kouno touched his arm and he glanced back and then down at what the man was holding out. Asami grinned. Trust Kouno to carry something like that. He dug out his lighter and lit the fuse, then tossed the pack of firecrackers through the opening. The man inside ran screaming into the hall, firing wildly. He was down from two bullets before he could hit anyone. Kouno put another bullet through his head. 

There were no more shots from behind. His ears were still ringing from those fired before.

Kouno glanced back, reading his men's signals. "Asami-sama. Those in the living room are dead. We have two men down. The rest are waiting."

They still hadn't seen Nagai or Tao, and the only place left was the bedroom. The door was shut. It seemed like there were noises coming from within but he was having trouble hearing.

"Kouno, have someone find out from the men outside if there's a balcony, a window, any way into that room besides this door."

He took a deep breath, about to call out to Nagai, when two quick shots rang out from inside the bedroom, then a third. Asami's heart stopped. He didn't think. He slammed into the door twice with his shoulder and was suddenly inside the room. Tao stood by the wall, frozen but shaking, holding up a gun with both hands. Nagai lay face down on the floor in a spreading pool of blood. Asami quickly moved forward and fired a bullet through Nagai's head, then stepped between Tao and the body, gently removing the pistol from the boy's trembling hands.

Asami signaled to the men who'd rushed through behind him, handing the gun to limping Kouno. "Have this, and that," he pointed at the body, "taken care of, then leave us. Call Feilong and Takaba. Tell them he's safe, and that I killed the bastard and will talk to them shortly. Get everyone clear as quickly as possible. And tell the men well done. Especially you. See to your leg." He left the rest to his trusted lieutenant.

Asami stood there, a shield, silently searching the Tao's eyes for some kind of sign of what was happening in his head. The boy's eyes were unfocused, giving him no clue, except that he was obviously in a state of shock. He didn't want to touch him until he knew Tao recognized him. As the men dragged the body from the room, Tao slowly blinked and began to come back. Finally the door closed and it was just the two of them, the room empty of noise but for Tao's harsh breathing. 

Asami knew it was best faced right away. "Tao...he told me what he did to you." 

"He d-didn't."

His eyes drilled into Tao's. "He didn't rape you?" _Or you won't admit it?_

"He s-said that to upset you, to m-make you do something r-rash. I knew it w-wouldn't w-work." Tears started running down the boy's cheeks and his shaking was getting worse. 

Asami flipped the safety and holstered his gun. Tao was light in his arms as he carried him to the bed. He sat, cradling him on his lap. "Tell me what happened," he softly commanded.

Tao's teeth were chattering. Asami held him closer. "He h-hated you. H-he was g-going to k-kill you, and m-me. B-but once the sh-shooting started he didn't even notice m-me. No one d-does. They d-don't know I'm a b-brown belt. He was d-distracted so I got the g-g-g-gun from him pretty easily. I t-took it, and I sh-shot him, and sh-shot him, b-but he kept c-crawling toward m-me and I shot him again b-because I w-wanted him d-dead so he w-wouldn't h-hurt us and I th-think I k-killed him. I k-killed him. B-but I'm g-glad he's d-dead even if I'm g-going to go to p-prison. I d-don't want to go D-dad. B-but I'm g-glad. Is that b-bad? I d-don't want you to th-think I'm b-bad."

Asami thought his rage at the man would dissipate with his death, but he wished the bastard was in front of him to die a thousand more times. He stroked Tao's hair as the boy sobbed and shivered in his arms. He took his coat off and wrapped it around the small body, and the shivering subsided a little. Tao latched onto it and pulled it tight about himself. "It smells l-like you," he said. 

_To take comfort in such a thing..._ Asami hated being reminded that he had a heart by its breaking.

But he finally felt the boy relax. "Tao, you're not going to prison. I'd never let them take you. And you didn't kill him. He wasn't dead until I shot him. But I'm sorry you even had to do that much. I should have protected you. You should have been able to count on me. I'm sorry.... Listen, you found out today that sometimes you have to shoot people to protect the ones you love. Lots of men don't have the steel. But you did. You did the right thing, and I'm proud of you."

He pressed his lips against the boy's forehead. Tao was staring up at him, listening closely. He tried to make his words adequate, feeling like he was failing the child miserably, again. "The others might tell you something different, especially Akihito. They might take you in to see Hamada, so you can examine your feelings or some load of crap like that. But remember that what you did saved lives today. Mine, yours, probably some of the men. The only cost was a life that you slowed so I could take it. He was a piece of shit, Tao. Don't feel bad about shooting a piece of shit."

Tao sniffled and wiped his nose on his arm, laughing a little. "You're n-not like the other dads."

"I know. I really can't be. I'm sorry if that disappoints you."

"I w-wouldn't want them. Y-You're the one who came for me. I knew you would, you or Father. I love you."

He didn't deserve it. "We had three possible locations. Your father was at another one. He came for you too."

"W-was he upset?"

".... Yes. Extremely. In fact, he's anxious to see you. We should go."

He stood, lifting Tao, to carry him from the room.

"Stop. I'm not a b-baby. I can walk."

He was going to press the issue, but the look on Tao's face told him not to. Besides, the boy had earned it today. They walked out together, Asami's men bowing low before them both.

"Young Master," they murmured respectfully. 

 

\--

 

Tao had called home from the car, explaining that he was fine, and that Nagai had been lying about what he'd said to Asami. He'd been too tired to say much else. Asami had pressed a small amount of scotch on him and made him drink it though the child hadn't wanted to.

"Don't spit that out! That's premium scotch, twenty-five years old."

"That explains why it tastes like something that d-died twenty years ago."

Asami had laughed, and held the boy close as he fell asleep against his side.

The other two were waiting impatiently in front of the house. Asami hadn't wanted to wake Tao, but he knew the others wouldn't be satisfied until they spoke with him. Akihito had run to the car and thrown his arms around the boy, tears flying everywhere of course.

Fei took one look at his son and got him into the house, then lifted him up into his arms. "Hush. No arguments. It's a father's prerogative." He started up the stairs, pausing just once, looking back. "Ryuichi...thank you."

Asami nodded. "Take care of him Fei. We'll talk later."

 

\--

 

Asami went into the parlor and sat heavily upon the sofa. He sat, forearms on this thighs, and just stared. Akihito watched him in alarm. "Ryu, why don't we take a bath?"

Asami still sat. 

"Ryu?"

"This isn't a good life, Akihito, if you have someone you care about. Everything I do puts you in danger. You, and Tao, and Fei. You deserve better. Yet I won't ever let any of you go. What does that make me?"

Akihito walked to the sideboard, grabbed the decanter of scotch and took it over to the sofa. He shoved it at Asami. "Hold this." Then he pushed Asami's shoulders back and climbed onto his lap, straddling him, facing him. 

Asami's eyes were no longer unfocused. They were fixed on him. Akihito took the scotch, tossed the crystal stopper aside and took a big mouthful, grimacing at the flavor. 

Asami's eyes were starting to laugh now. Akihito rose up on his knees and pressed his mouth down onto his lover's, which opened and let the scotch flow in. Their kiss was hot, smoke from the liquor lingering and building.

Akihito tore his mouth away. "What it makes you is Asami. What it makes you is what I want. And you're going to remember that." He tossed the decanter behind him, letting it shatter.

He ripped at Asami's clothing with a strength he didn't often share during sex, only with Fei, only when topping him, never with Asami. The fine linen shirt was shredded, the zipper on the woolen pants broken open, buttons flew, underwear was ripped and he fisted his hands in Asami's hair, not letting his mouth stray from under him except when he moved away himself to spit on his hand, rubbing it over Asami's cock right before he sank down upon it. He held Asami still with his eyes and fucked him, riding him, letting the flesh he moved upon build the pressure in him, letting Asami see all of it, letting him feel it all with him. 

Asami's eyes were half shut but they never left his. Amusement had fled and heat had taken its place. And memories. They both remembered the first time they'd really made love, in that hotel room at the Sheraton Bay. Neither had called it that then. But now they knew that's what it had been. Akihito had ridden Asami that night too, taking an active part in sex for the first time, admitting what he wanted.

"Asami, don't move or I'll..." he groaned, thrusting his hips down, calling his lover by his old name.

"My kawaii Akihito," came the response, echoing their thoughts, both there and here, then and now, what each other wanted and needed. Asami moved then, grabbing Akihito's hips, pushing deep into him, coming hard, the sensation taking Akihito with him.

Akihito collapsed against his chest, secretly thanking god that Asami had come home safely one more day. 

Asami was thinking the same thing as he held him. "If it had been you there today..."

"I would have killed the fucker after I fed him his own cock."

He felt Asami's chest vibrate with a chuckle. "You're feisty tonight, a wildcat."

"I'm angry that anyone would dare do that to Tao. Do you believe him, Ryu, that he wasn't raped?"

"So the thought occurred to you too? He was really shaken, but it could have been from him killing Nagai."

Akihito sat up. "Killing him? I thought you did."

"I made it look like I did so he didn't have that on his conscience. He doesn't need that. Not yet."

"Ryu... that's so sweet of you. And I just said you were sweet for shooting someone who was already dead, didn't I? I need to go back into therapy. Speaking of which, it might not be a bad idea – don't roll your eyes – if Tao saw Makoto. I'll bet Fei agrees."

"We can help him through this. Hamada won't understand what it is to be one of us. He'll tell him killing is bad, and the guilt will only get worse."

"Ryu, killing _is_ bad, in general. But in this case, it was very right."

"Well, who kills anyone in general?"

Akihito started laughing. "I really love you."

He pulled his laughing Akihito down against his chest again, finally feeling renewed. "Ah."

 

\--

 

When they went upstairs for a bath, they first stopped by Tao's room. Fei was awake, sitting in the bed, Tao sleeping on his lap. Fei's eyes were haunted. They could tell he'd been crying. 

Akihito and Asami abandoned their plans for a bath and moved to sit on either side of him, crowding the full-sized bed as the three of them watched the sleeping boy. Fei relaxed into their arms with a sigh.

Akihito spoke softly. "Fei, did he say something more? Do you think...he lied about being raped?"

Fei shook his head and answered as quietly as Akihito. "I don't think so, Akihito. I helped him with his bath tonight because he was so exhausted. He had a couple of bruises, but nothing at all that indicated rape. I don't think he's hurt that way, thank god. It was the strain of the situation. Nagai was insane, and at times Tao didn't know if he'd live. But he said he convinced Nagai that he ran away because he hated us, and that he wanted to see us dead too. He said it amused Nagai to use him as a weapon, so he let him be. And then there was the shooting. There was more to it than I understood."

Akihito and Asami glanced at each other, and Asami spoke up. "There was. We'll talk about it later."

Fei shook his head. "He already knows, Ryuichi, what you tried to do for him. I thank you for that, and for everything else you did tonight. He does too."

Asami was taken aback. He knew the kid was smart, but to have figured that out when he was so upset...

"He felt incredibly guilty about it, that you would take the blame and responsibility for him. I talked to him though. You may not know this, but I had to make my first kill when I was twelve. It was... difficult. That's too young. I never wanted Tao to have to do the same, and yet because of the life I've chosen, he's been forced to."

Akihito punched Fei in the arm.

"Perhaps you'll explain why you felt the need to do that, Akihito, before I take you over my knee."

Asami quite enjoyed the picture of that, and he made a mental note of it for future reference.

Akihito shook his head. "Because, Fei, I just got done cramming those words back into Ryu's mouth downstairs..."

"With his tongue," Asami mused.

"... and now you're spouting the same damned thing. Shall we wake Tao up and ask him what he thinks about that?"

"No. Of course not. Ryuichi and I spoke of this just the other day. We've had terrible things happen in our lives, and yet what we've become has given us great rewards as well. I wouldn't give up any of this for any common existence. And while my life has led to this happening to Tao, at least it has also given me shared experiences so that I might help him through it. But still, I mourn a little for the loss of his innocence, and a great deal for the pain this has caused him."

Asami squeezed the shoulder his hand rested on. "Fei, no child could ask for a better father."

Akihito looked at him playfully. "Why Ryu, are you admitting you come in second place?"

Asami caught the mood and tossed it back. "I was speaking of myself of course. Fei makes an outstanding mother though."

Fei tilted his head back and stared up at him. "Rotten yakuza. But I love you. You brought my son home to me. Thank you, Ryuichi. For everything."

Tao twitched and whimpered, drawing sad gazes to him. Akihito leaned forward and stroked the small head of dark hair. "Wake up, chibi. You're having a nightmare."

The boy sat up with a start, then rubbed his eyes. He stared at the three of them, who stared back. "What? You've tried every other place in this house and now you want to use _my_ bed?"

Asami snorted softly.

Akihito smiled, and his words were gentle but firm. "Tao, you're going to need to talk about it or the nightmares will get worse."

"I don't want to talk about it. I don't need to talk about it."

"You have to sweetheart." The blankets fell away as Fei lifted Tao free of them and brought him over to sit among them. "The longer you put it off, the harder it will become. You saw what it did to me. I won't let that happen to you."

Tao squirmed, trying to get away. "Dad said you'd try to make me talk and that it was crap."

Two accusing pairs of eyes turned upon Asami. "That's not quite what I said," he responded dryly. "What I said was that seeing Hamada and talking about all your feelings was a load of crap. But that was with the understanding that you'd talk to us. If you don't, I'm calling Hamada in the morning and you're going to see him until he says you're fine. It's your choice, him or us."

Tao wasn't happy about that, judging from the scowl on his face. "So I can talk to you?"

Asami choked on the words he was about to say. "Your father or Akihito would be better..."

Tao folded his arms defiantly. "You."

"Brat. Me and the others. All or nothing. Nothing being Hamada."

"Ryu..."

Tao shoved away from his father and off the bed. "Fine! You. All of you. But not right now! Right now I want to sleep. So I would like you all to get out of my bed."

Akihito laughed. "How often have you heard _those_ words Ryu?"

"How many times did I bed you, Akihito?"

"What, you're saying I was the only one with a complaint?"

"Yes. It sort of points out where the problem was, doesn't it?"

A throat cleared and a small foot tapped on the floor. Tao stood by his open door, glaring at them. They began to file out, almost contritely.

"Good night chibi. If you need me, come find me. I might understand better than you think." Akihito kissed the top of Tao's head.

"Good night, Uncle Akihito."

"If you come to find him, I suggest listening at the door first, and knocking before you come in."

"Maybe you should just hang a sign outside your door when you're _not_ having sex."

Asami stifled a laugh. "Alright Tao, you've made your point. Akihito told me families have to compromise. And while we're a bit odd, we're a family. We'll work something out tomorrow. Now get some sleep."

"Dad... I... What you did..."

For a second, Asami's eyes softened, then they were back to normal. "I'm just glad you're home. Sleep well, Tao." His fingers reached out to stroke the boy's cheek. "My son. You did well." He followed Akihito out the door.

 

Fei knelt in front of his son and looked up into his eyes. "Tao, they're just worried about you. We've all been through some dark times and we all kept it inside, either because we were ashamed and felt guilty, or we thought we could handle it, or we didn't want to worry anyone. And it turned out to not only hurt us, but hurt those we cared about. It's just not the right way to deal with things."

"I know Father. But that doesn't make it any easier to talk about it."

"I understand, believe me. Have you ever noticed the scars on my hands?"

Tao nodded. "I always wanted to know why, but I felt like I shouldn't ask."

"It happened the first time I told the truth of my past to Hamada. So much had built up I ended up losing control of myself and I was badly injured. I don't ever want to see you in that position. It was just about the hardest thing I'd ever done, talking to him that day. After that, it got a little easier each time. And the sooner you talk after it happens the better."

Tao's eyes were sad as he looked at his father's hands. 

"Tao, I'm not sure what your reasons are. I'm thinking that maybe you want our respect, so you're trying to act cool. Or maybe you don't want to trouble us. Or that maybe Nagai, the bastard, did or said something you don't want anyone to know about because it made you feel guilty. Just remember, his actions don't reflect upon you. Whatever rotten thing he did, it wasn't your fault."

"But I ran out of the house. If I'd just stayed..." Tears filled his eyes. "I made everyone worry. I got some of the men hurt. I'm so sorry, Father."

Fei pulled him forward against his chest. "Oh baby we all make mistakes. We've all run away. What happened wasn't because you did that. You just got hit worse because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's all."

Tao's eyes were hesitating to meet his. He was reminded of his confrontation with Asami the day before. 

"So you're not mad at me?"

"Tao...no, no I'm not mad at you. At myself maybe, but not you. I want to go back in time and kill all those bastards who did this to you. I'm ashamed to say I didn't handle this very well. Your Uncle R...Your dad, had his hands full with me. I wanted to run in there with all we had. I was upset, and my judgment was off. The way yours was when you ran. All we can do, Tao, is learn from it. And we learn by talking and thinking about it."

Tao's arms came up to hold him tightly around his neck. "It's just... I know you guys think I'm innocent, but I'm not. I mean, I haven't done things but heck I live here and I see everything. You don't know how obvious it all is, and sometimes it scares me, and other times... Well, I have the internet and I look it up and I read about it and watch things. Because sometimes it doesn't seem right, even though I know you love each other and I can't just walk up and ask if Uncle Akihito likes what's happening and sometimes I'm ashamed of that too. All I know is that I'm not like that." He stopped a second and his arms squeezed Fei's neck a little more. "But I pretended I was." Not wanting to alarm Tao, Fei tried to keep his body from tensing. He wasn't sure what he'd hear.

"They really didn't rape me, Father. But they talked about doing it. They said things, about me and you and Dad and Uncle Akihito. And so I led them on, trying to make them think I wasn't worth their time, that maybe I was on their side. I.... I lied about you, all of you. I said you'd done things like that, to me, so they'd think I hated you. I said some really terrible things. I felt horrible but I did it anyway. I didn't want any of you to know this, that I was even capable of thinking this way. Just the thought of you knowing what I said makes me ashamed."

He scrubbed his eyes as he stepped back, not looking at Fei's face. "You were worried because you didn't know what I was holding back, weren't you? I guess I understand now why I need to talk to all of you. I just... I just really don't want to talk about the details, okay? It's too much. It's been so hard the past few days and I want to feel safe again, not relive it over and over. Isn't it enough that I tell you all what I've said, for now? I don't want you to ever think I had those ideas in my head, for any reason."

Fei took his young face in his hands and tried to soothe the anguish away. "Tao, there's nothing that you could have told them that would make us ashamed of you. We know you needed to survive, so the filthier it was, the better you could convince them. The fact that you could put your imagination to good use to do that is impressive, not shameful. We all understand that, and we would have done the same in your shoes if we were smart enough to think of it."

Tao's face cleared a little. "You know, I asked myself what he'd do, what Dad would do, and the answer was whatever it took to survive. So that's what I did. I hope he understands that."

Fei shook his head with a smile. "Tao, he'll probably be so proud of you for thinking of it he'll brag for weeks."

Tao laughed a little, but shoulders were slumping and his eyes showed exhaustion. "I'm really tired now. I think I'll go to bed if you don't mind."

"That's a good idea." Fei rose to his feet with a groan. "I need to do some more yoga. Want to start up again?"

"Yeah, sure, that was fun." Tao smiled, but Fei could see it would be a while before that smile was as bright as it used to be. _He bounces back easily, but not so easily that he can avoid the same traps we all fell into._

"Okay, we'll try some tomorrow. But bed now for both of us. And if you get lonely or anxious, barge in. You might need to throw a bucket of cold water on your Dad, but he'll understand. And Akihito and I will laugh for weeks." 

Tao laughed at that and they kissed each other goodnight, each feeling like they might actually be able to sleep now without nightmares. Fei stepped out into the hall and closed the door softly behind him. Akihito was waiting in the hall.

"Ryu went to shower, and to get rid of his torn up suit." Akihito had a smug look on his face. 

Fei stuck his arm through his and tugged him into a walk beside him "I noticed that. Feeling a bit animalistic tonight?"

"A bit. He was feeling sorry for himself, like he was some kind of monster and we deserved better and all that kind of crap. So I attacked him."

Fei chuckled, his lighter heart making him feel a little silly. "I wish I could have seen that."

"Oh yeah?" Akihito swung Fei around and pushed him against the wall. "Want an instant replay? Because I was hearing the same crap from you earlier." He mock-growled and nipped Fei's throat.

Fei thought of what happened a few nights ago and stiffened slightly. Akihito noticed and stopped playing. "Akihito, do you really not mind? About us being that way? With the violence? Sometimes I'm not sure you understand how it is, and I'm terrified that when you do you'll be disgusted and turn away."

Akihito saw how tired the other was. Another who needed recharging. It was what they did for each other. "Fei, if I minded I wouldn't be here. Understand? I think you need to let me take care of you tonight, so I'm in charge. First we'll take a bath, then you get a massage, then sleep for as long as you need. How does that sound?"

Fei again took Akihito's arm and let himself be led down the hallway. "It sounds heavenly." He peeked around Akihito's back. "Where are your wings?" 

Akihito snorted. "In the closet with my pitchfork and Ryu's horns. Fei, will Tao be okay?"

"I think so. He's willing to talk now and will try in the morning, though we shouldn't press him for the details just yet. There were lies he had to tell to survive, things he said that made him ashamed he could even think of them and he doesn't want to tell us just what those were. He's so very adult sometimes that I forget he's very young in other ways. We need to let him feel safe again, and that we're a family that he's an important member of. I think we've all had a reminder of what we all have, and what we might have lost."

"Yeah. We're damned lucky, aren't we?"

"Indeed we are."

He hoped Tao would see it that way too. He was giving his son a life that was anything but conventional, and hoped the love he was surrounded with made it worth it to him. It was a choice he'd have to make some day.

It was a dangerous and sometimes painful life, and an unaccepted lifestyle to many. But out of the danger and pain came their freedom, joy and love. Sometimes it was almost more than they could bear, but that was the price they paid.

 

 

~end~


End file.
